A Watershed Year Anatomy of the Iowa Floods of 2008:  Lessons Learned – Preparing for the Future

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

6:30-8:00 pm

Iowa State Historical Building

Des Moines, Iowa

Panel discussion with audience Q and A

Refreshments and book signing

In June 2008, the rivers of eastern Iowa rose above their banks to create floods of epic proportions; their amazing size—flowing in places at a rate nearly double that of the previous record flood—and the rapidity of their rise ruined farmlands and displaced thousands of residents and hundreds of businesses.  A new book, A Watershed Year: Anatomy of the Iowa Floods of 2008, brings together perspectives from physical and environmental scientists, hydrologists, economists, public policy experts, engineers and community managers on what happened, what we can learn from this devastating experience and how we can better prepare for flooding in the future.  The book which will be released in March 2010, is a compilation of twenty-five chapters written mostly by Iowans with perspectives on flood prediction, effects, response and recovery and future preparedness. The book was made possible through the support of the Iowa Flood Center at IIHR Hydroscience & Engineering and UI Center for Global and Regional Environmental Research (CGRER).

Agenda

·         Welcome – Jerry Schnoor,  co-director, UI Center for Global and Regional Environmental Research and Chairman, Iowa Climate Change Advisory Council  

·         About the book - Connie Mutel – editor

·         Trends in Iowa precipitation - Gene Takle, Director, Climate Change Initiative, Professor of Atmospheric Science, Professor of Agricultural Meteorology, Department of Agronomy, Iowa State University

·         Trends in Iowa water run-off – Richard Cruse, Professor of Agronomy, Iowa State University, Director, Iowa Water Center

·         How is Iowa preparing for more Iowa floods?

-     Iowa Flood Center – Witold Krajewski, Director, Iowa Flood Center, University of Iowa

-     Cedar Falls Floodplain Initiative - Kamyar Enshayan, Cedar Falls City Council

-     Rebuild Iowa Office state policy recommendations – Lieutenant General Ron Dardis, Executive Director, Rebuild Iowa Office

For more book details click http://uipress.uiowa.edu/books/2010-spring/mutel-water.htm
For more information about the meeting contact Joe Bolkcom at 319-353-2681 or [log in to unmask]